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Welcome to Christadelphians of Tanzania

The Christadelphians (a word created from the Greek for "Brethren in Christ"; cp. Colossians 1:2 — "brethren in Christ") are a Christian group that developed in the United Kingdom and North America in the 19th century. The name was coined by John Thomas, who was the group's founder. Christadelphians hold a view of Biblical Unitarianism. The group has often been described as a form of Messianic Judaism, as they share many of their beliefs and hopes with Judaism; notably the promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Israel whilst they also believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah.

Although no official membership figures are published, the Columbia Encyclopedia gives an estimated figure of 50,000 Christadelphians, who are spread across approximately 120 countries; there are established churches (or ecclesias, as they are often called) in many of those countries, along with isolated members. Census statistics are available for some countries. Estimates for the main centres of Christadelphian population are as follows: United Kingdom (18,000), Australia (9,987), Malawi (7,000), United States (6,500), Mozambique (7,500), Canada (3,375), New Zealand (1,785), Kenya (1,700), India (1,500) and Tanzania (100). This puts the figure at around 57,000.

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Wrested Scriptures

Today's Exhortation

JUNE 7

TRIALS

Reading: James ch. 1

How exceedingly practical is the letter of James from which we have just read a chapter! The writer loses no time in giving inspired advice as to how to attain to the great ambition of our lives, everyone of us, that we may be “perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” So with scarcely a salutation—just one word, “greeting,”—no lengthy preamble—the writer goes plunging straight to the point as to the means which the Father of us all, in heaven, has ordained whereby we may attain to that desirable condition just mentioned. And what is that Divine will? That we should pass through trial and tribulation.

So we read in verse 2: “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.” Now the word temptation there in the Greek conveys the idea of trials, testing times. It does not convey the idea in that context of being tempted to do wrong: that James speaks about a little later in the same chapter; this concerns testings, and tryings, trials. Well, who is there that does not experience times of trials and testings? We have heard of a few of our dear brethren’s and sisters’ experiences from the announcements of our brother this morning, but in a greater or lesser degree the same trials come upon us all.

It may be persecution, as it was particularly in the case of the community to which James wrote. It may be misinterpretation